This thesis unfolds the story of Španovica, a Croatian settlement that carries a rich and painful history situated approximately halfway between Pakrac and Požega. Španovica shares the fate of Boričevac, Cetingrad, Udbina, Gvozdansko and Zrin where Croatian people were murdered and exiled during Second world war, with no right to return to their homes. Despite the village's rich culture characterized by distinct customs, developed agriculture and economy as well as language unique to its inhabitants, Španovica is now known exclusively as an “eerie village”, with two names and two sides of history behind it. The purpose of this thesis is to systematically present the sequence of events that led to the current perception of the village, explore and reconsider some of the claims found in the literature, provide a clear overview of European, therefore local history, and thereby highlight the causal relationship.